A Most Suitable Revenge
by Salomedancing
Summary: Oneshot. What might have happened if Ichabod Crane had lost his head. AU,NC, but not descriptive.


Disclaimer: I don't own anything, I just play with the characters for fun.

AN: Thanks to japanpeterpan for beta.

The first paragraph was written by japanpeterpan when I challenged her with The Hessian/Katrina in a meme; Give me a pair and I'll write you one sentence about them. Well, and then my imagination ran away with it. I would say it's AU because the whole fic is based on the assumption that the Hessian manages to behead Ichabod Crane.

A Most Suitable Revenge

Katrina fell in a hysterical heap over Ichabod's now lifeless body, kicking, screaming unintelligibly when she was picked up by the waist and hoisted onto the horse, expecting the cold blade to tear straight through her gullet and spine at any moment now that her protector was gone from this world and quickly receding into the distance behind them- not having the benefit of a visible face on her kidnapper to read the true reason she was being carried back into the woods.

Not even when the reason became clear did she really believe it. Her comprehension of what happened was largely muddled by shock and terror. What really penetrated her mind was not the pain, though she certainly felt that too. What she felt most was how cold he was, so cold that her teeth chattered in her mouth.

She was still conscious when he left her, and she had enough strength to wonder why she was still alive. Despite the freezing night she felt warmer when he was gone, and when she was sure he was not returning, she slowly got up. It took her a long time to walk the long way to the village, but she stubbornly put one foot in front of the other, avoiding all thoughts of what would happen to her when she arrived. She wanted to go home, and in her state of mind she let all caution go. What could be worse than this, after all?

It was dawn when she finally reached her goal. The house was warm, and from the kitchen she could see light. She went there, unsure of what she would see. Her step-mother was calmly pouring hot water in a large tub in front of the fire. She looked up at Katrina, her face devoid of surprise.

"So, you are here now. Let's get those clothes off you and clean you off."

The astonishment Katrina felt numbed her, and she was too tired to try to struggle as Lady Van Tassel stripped her of her torn clothes and helped her into the bath. She looked at her step-mother who was humming slightly as she carefully folded and put away Katrina's skirt and chemise, both heavily splattered with blood.

"A virgin's blood", Lady Van Tassel said when she saw Katrina's gaze. "A very strong ingredient for many useful spells. And that it's yours makes it even stronger."

As though she were a small child, Katrina let herself be washed, clad in a nightgown, given something hot to drink and then be led to her bed where she fell into a heavy and dreamless sleep.

When she woke up, the sun was already setting. For a while she lay unmoving, at first confused by the evening light. Then the events of the night flooded her mind, and she sat up, gasping for air. Her

step-mother was sitting by her bed, looking her usual neat self, carefully mending a stocking.

"Finally awake," she said. "I was beginning to think you never would. You better eat something, you must be hungry."

She inclined her head toward a tray at the bed with some bread and cold meat. Her casual tone and manner first made Katrina feel like she must have dreamt everything, but when she moved she could feel a strange pain between her legs, and her wrists were bruised from a hard grip.

"Ichabod," she whispered, feeling her eyes fill with tears. The sorrow, however, quickly turned to anger when she saw her step-mother's eyes, glittering like silver coins. '"You won't get away with this!"

"Yes I will," Lady Van Tassel answered cheerfully. "As long as I control the Hessian, no one will dare to go against me here. There is no one left with enough willpower to try to fight me, and now the whole village belongs to me.

"I will fight you!"

"With what, dear Katrina? You are weak as a kitten, and it's already dark outside. He is coming for you very soon."

Katrina reached out her hand toward the last golden glimpse of the sun, trying to find words to give her strength and courage.

"That's of no use," her step-mother remarked matter-of-factly. "Most of your witchcraft was related to your innocence anyway, and what was left I took when you slept. Your blood was a big help with

that."

Some understanding seeped into Katrina's mind. "That's why you didn't have me killed outright." Lady Van Tassel nodded, once again concentrating on her sewing. "And what will happen now?"

"I don't know, actually. Do ghosts feels lonely? I gave you to him, you know, and he'll soon come for you. But whether he comes to kill you, or not, I cannot tell. Well, if you live tomorrow you can

always come back here. This is your home, dear Katrina, and the doors will always be open for you, as long as you survive. Besides," Lady Van Tassels voice grow thoughtful "It will be very interesting to see how this turns out. He is a ghost, but he does have a body. What will happen, I wonder. Could there be an offspring, you think?"

She gave Katrina a bright smile. "Yes, definitely, I will take good care of you."

There was a silence as the two women stared at each other. The sun disappeared, and as the room grew darker a wind started to blow outside. They were both waiting, one in expectation, and the

other with growing dread. Then the heavy sound of a large hand pounding on the door was heard.

Lady Van Tassel rose.

"Don't open it!" Katrina's voice was hoarse from fear, but Lady Van Tassel just smiled.

"Don't be silly, there's no use in refusing that, my dear. He has been summoned, and you know he'll just break down the door, and then I will have the tedious business of getting a new one. And inthe meantime, there will be a terrible draft."

She left, but in the doorway she turned. "I know that you will try to run away now. Don't let me stop you, but you know that there is no use. He'll catch you sooner or later, anyway."

Then she was gone, and the only thing heard was the increasing pounding on the door. Despite all warnings Katrina ran down the stairs, and out in the kitchen, just as the pounding stopped. She threw herself at the kitchen door, which opened and Katrina found herself outside. Without a pause she began to run, followed by her step-mother's tinkling laugh, and then- to her ultimate horror, by the quick steps of a horse.

"Please," she begged as she ran through the forest, branches snagging at her streaming hair and nightgown.

"Please," she asked the ground as she crawled on hands and knees in a futile attempt to avoid the dark shape that strode after her, without hurry, but relentlessly.

"Please," she repeated over and over again to the pale moon she saw behind the Hessian's broad shoulder, when she lay on her back, her legs spread helplessly. But no one listened to her, and eventually she stopped.

The End


End file.
